


Whisper In My Ear

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: Tumblr Mini Fics [25]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awesome Morgana (Merlin), Best Friends, Birthday Party, First Kiss, Fluff, Good Uther Pendragon (Merlin), Humor, Love Confessions, M/M, minor Gwen/Morgana - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 19:31:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17987273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: It's Arthur's birthday, and he only wants one thing.





	Whisper In My Ear

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Impala_Chick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Chick/gifts).



> For Impala_Chick, who wanted “things you whispered in my ear” from [this list](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/post/182722823713/send-me-a-pairing-and-one-of-these-and-ill-write) of prompts.
> 
> Also, my 350th posted fic. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with these two.

The room is crowded, filled with at least a hundred people. Camelot’s richest and finest all in one room. Merlin has the dark thought that if anyone wanted to kill them all, this would be the place to do it.

He feels so out of place here, in his too big suit. One his mother had purchased from a thrift store and done her best to alter. He loves her for it. But it all seems pointless. People are still giving him looks, probably wondering why he’s here. He’s been wondering the same thing.

_You’re here for Arthur,_ he tells himself. _It’s his birthday and you need to be here for him._

It’s true. But he’s also barely seen, or at least talked to Arthur all night. He’s had to move around the room smiling and talking to different people. All people his father deems worthy.

Merlin knows Arthur hates it. He’d rather be anywhere else. But he does it to appease his father.

The only thing that goes against that is Merlin.

He frowns when he looks around the room and doesn’t see Arthur. He’d been there a moment before.

“I swear if that prat left me here…”

There’s a chuckle from next to him before Arthur’s voice is sounding in his ear, “You know I wouldn’t go anywhere without you Merlin.”

Merlin feels himself sag in relief. He wants to turn, but Arthur has a hand on his hip, holding him in place. “I didn’t know if you’d taken an out when you got one.”

“Maybe that’s what I’m doing right now,” Arthur whispers. His warm breath is blowing against Merlin’s skin, and Merlin has to fight down the urge to shiver. Arthur always has this effect on him. But he doesn’t need to know it.

Teeth graze against his jaw and Merlin feels his breath catch. “Arthur…”

“It’s my birthday,” Arthur reminds him. “I think I should get what I want on my birthday.”

“What do you want?”

Merlin feels like he can’t breathe. It’s as if Arthur’s answer has the ability to change the world. Maybe it does.

Arthur’s hand tightens on his hip, and his nose runs along his jaw before his lips find their way back to his ear. “You.”

Merlin fights his way out of Arthur’s hold and turns to look at him. His breathing is heavy and his hands are clenched at his sides. “Don’t mess with me.”

Arthur reaches for him. Part of Merlin is screaming at him to fight. But the other part, the bigger part, feels at home in Arthur’s hold. He wants to be here.

Merlin finds himself being pulled flush against Arthur, whose face is serious as he looks up into Merlin’s eyes. “I’m not messing with you, Merlin. I want to be with you. I’m tired of denying that. Not when I’ve been in love with you the past nine years. But if you don’t…”

Merlin takes Arthur’s face in his hands and kisses him. Arthur makes a noise of surprise, and for one small moment goes still. But then he’s relaxing, and using his grip on Merlin’s hips to pull him closer.

The kiss is slow and deep, and Merlin never wants it to end. He’d spend the rest of his life kissing Arthur if he could.

“I love you too,” Merlin murmurs against his lips.

Arthur kisses him again. When he pulls back, he lets out a happy laugh. He looks beautiful like this. Merlin’s fingers brush against Arthur’s cheek and Arthur smiles wider. Merlin has the realization that he looks happier here than he has all night.

“Do you want to get out of here?” Arthur asks him.

Merlin nods, “Please.”

A throat clears behind them. Merlin doesn’t have to turn to know who it is. He does try to move away, out of Arthur’s hold, but Arthur keeps a tight grip on him.

“Father.”

“What do you think you’re doing Arthur?” Uther asks him.

“Leaving,” Arthur tells him. “I’m going to go out and celebrate my birthday with my boyfriend.”

His eyes move to Merlin’s, and Merlin smiles. He’ll freak out about Arthur calling him his boyfriend later. When he doesn’t feel Uther’s eyes boring into the back of his head.

Merlin expects a fight of some sort, but it doesn’t come. He chances a glance over his shoulder to see Uther watching them, his face unreadable.

Finally, he sighs. “Fine. But at least say goodbye to your sister.”

Arthur nods, “Of course Father.”

He pulls back from Merlin, and grabs his hand. He starts leading them away, only to stop when Uther’s voice reaches them. “And Arthur?”

“Yes Father?”

“Happy Birthday.”

Merlin watches as Arthur smiles, and for the first time he feels some appreciation for Uther Pendragon. He might be an asshole, but he loves his son.

Arthur turns to him, not bothering to hide his smile like he so often would before. “Thank you.”

Uther nods. Then the moment is over and he’s turning to walk away. Arthur sighs, “Well that was good while it lasted.”

“It could have gone a lot worse,” Merlin reminds him.

Arthur laughs, “That’s definitely true. Now let’s find Morgana so we can get the hell out of here.”

“Are we saving her too?”

“I imagine Gwen can do that,” Arthur tells him.

“Well then, I guess I’ll just have to save you,” Merlin says.

Arthur raises an eyebrow, “Who says I’m not saving you?”

Merlin pulls him closer with a grin, “We’ll save each other.”

“Or you could save all of us from witnessing anymore of this by getting the hell out of here already.”

“Morgana,” Arthur doesn’t take his eyes off Merlin as he addresses his sister. “We were just looking for you.”

“Really?” Morgana questions. “Because it seems to me you two only have eyes for each other.”

“True. Which is why we're leaving." Arthur does look at Morgana then. "We just wanted to say goodbye first.”

“Did Uther tell you to do that?” Morgana asks, her tone teasing.

“He did,” Merlin says. “But we would have done it either way.”

Morgana smiles and pats Merlin's cheek, “I know you would have. Arthur though, he’s probably only thinking about how fast he can get you back to his apartment and in his bed.” She laughs when Arthur makes a noise of protest. “I can’t blame you for it, Arthur. Not after the way you two have been pining after each other for years. Congratulations for finally plucking up the courage and going for what you want, by the way.”

“I feel as if I should thank you,” Arthur says. “But I also feel like you just insulted me in some way.”

“Better just to stick with the first assumption,” Morgana tells him.

Arthur smiles and shakes his head, “Then thank you.”

Morgana looks somewhere over Arthur’s shoulder, and grins. “If you want to leave, I’d do it. Uther just noticed you’re still here.”

“Ah Arthur…”

Uther’s voice reaches them from across the room and Arthur curses. He looks around the room before letting out a relieved breath. Merlin realizes he must have spotted an exit nearby.

Arthur’s grip tightens on Merlin’s hand before he’s leaning in, his breath once against blowing across Merlin’s face. “Run.”

Merlin laughs as he suddenly finds himself being pulled through the crowd of people, ducking and weaving under trays of food and around tables. Arthur is laughing right along with him. Loud and carefree.

They share a look of shock when a cart loaded with dishes stops right in their path to the door. Arthur raises an eyebrow, and Merlin nods. When he jumps, so does Merlin. They don’t quite make it over the cart, and glass shatters around them as the cart is knocked over. They don’t stop. They run right out into the cold night air. They hear Uther calling after them, demanding them to stop. They just keep running.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/Comments make my day. ♥  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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